Liquid fuel burning apparatus



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T. B. FOCKE LIQUID FUEL BURNING APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1939 Ju1y1, 1941.

`uly l, 1941. T. B. FocKE LIQUID FUEL BURNING APPARATUS .FiledMay 1e, 1939 4 sheets-sheet 2 y INVEN-TOR am, M A uw ATTORNEYJ July 19M. T- B. FocKE 2,247,679

LIQUID FUEL lBURNING APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1959 4 SheelzS--SheetI 5 l 70 Cf l 1 C :Fllj 97 Z5 5i J5 67 t J0 54 58 si; ii?" J9 27 ,3S-3 l f l1 INVENTOR.

B'Y Uxvmm AM ATTORNEYJ July L 941- I T. B. FocKE 2,247,679

LIQUID FUEL BURNING APPARATUS l Filed May 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS retained July 1, 1941 LIQUID FUEL BURNING APPARATUS Theodore B. Focke, Cleveland' Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to Perfection Stove Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 16, 1939, Serial Nof273,969

` 7 claims (C1. 236-68) This invention relates to fuel feeding and governing means for liquid fuel burners of the kind suitable for use in the heating plants of houses or other buildings, and whose operating range includes low or pilot lire, intermediate re, and high re, fuel being fed at no time during operation in an amount less than that required to maintain operation at low or pilot fire. f

An object of the invention is to provide, in fuel feeding and governing means, a multiple valve that operates in a single chamber, the same consisting in its present preferred form of an outer sleeve valve and an inner valve element or tube operating within the sleeve, the sleeve having a working fit in a chamber through the side of which a port opens, a second port opening into the chamber in opposed relation to the end ofthe inner valve element.

Another object, attained through the use of a tubular inner valve element that extends well above thev maximum liquid level and in open communication with the atmosphere, is to effectively v vent the fuel feeding means.

A further object is to provide an automatic control system for said multiple valve, desirably thermostatic in character and involving a thermostatic switch or so-called room thermostat exposed to the temperature of the space or apartment heated by the burner, together with electrically energized means for operating the valve elements, and the necessary electrical circuits involving the foregoing, so organized that under what may be termed normal conditions, when the space or room temperature is within' a given limited range, and with the valve actuating circuits open, suilicient fuel will b e fed, in addition to that for maintaining low or pilot fire, to sustain operation of the burner at intermediate fire. When the room temperature exceeds said given range the control system functions to shut olf the supply of additional fuel, and when the room temperature is below said range the system operates` to increase the additional fuel supply to that required for high fire. Itis evident from the foregoing that in case of failure of the electrical circuit, the burner will continue to operate at intermediate re, which provides a safe temperature under all circumstances, until the diiliculty is rectified or until the apparatus is manually adjusted to meet prevailing conditions.

These objects, with others hereinafter appearing, are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in they accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of my improved fuel feeding and governing means associated with a liquid fuel burning apparatus wherein the burner is of the bowl or pot type; Fig. Zvis a plan view of the unit of the fuel feeding and governing means that includes the multiple valve feature of my invention, with the float chamber and other associated parts, the construction being substantially that employed in practice, and the view showing the cover of the oat chamber removed; Fig. 3 is `a plan view of the cover of the float chamber'and the valve actuating means mounted thereon; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the aforesaid unit on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the multiple valve and adjacent parts of the unit; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the valve elements or members of the multiple valve.

The installation diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 may be part of a heating plant for dwellings or other buildings and involves my improved fuel feeding and governing means with the automatic control therefor. The combustion apparatus or burner, designated, generally, by the reference character A, comprises a bowl I that is supported with its top wall 2 in spaced relation tothe bottom wall 3 of the combustion chamber 4. The walls 2 and 3 are connected together and spaced apart by suitable means, such as shouldered rivets 5. Said walls have aligned openings surrounded by depending flanges 2a and 3a that are in concentric, spaced relation to each other and dene a slot S for the admission of secondary air to the burner bowl, as`

will hereinafter more fully appear. Primary air is admitted to the -bowl through perforations 6 in its peripheral wall. A relatively large lighting andcleanout opening is formed in said wall and the same is surrounded by a radially projecting neck 8 normally closed by aplug 9 shown as having a bayonet joint connection with the neck. The combustion apparatus comprising the bowl I and chamber 4 may be that of a .furnace of appropriate type for use in heating` plants or systems of the class above mentioned. For more detailed information on such apparatus, reference may be had to Letters Patent Nos. 1,944,593 and 1,979,865, dated January 23, 1934, and November 6, 1934, respectively.

Liquid fuel is supplied to the burner A from a source B (represented as a tank) through the fuel feeding and governing means designated,

generally, by the reference character C. A con-` duit I 0 leads from the source B to afloat chamber I I, communicating with the interior thereof through a port I4 controlled bysa valve I5. A

`in any adjusted position by a nut 41. vtion of the stud above the stop 45 extends freely spring I8 tends to lift the valve from its seat, and the valve is closed by a float I8 that is carried by a lever I9, fulcrumed on a pivot pin 20 suitably supported in the valve chamber. The end of the lever remote from the float bears against the head of the valve I5. The mechanism including the valve I and oat I8 constitutes the liquid level control that establishes the maximum fuel level in the system. The valve chamber II communicates, through a tubular outlet extension 25, with the casing 26 of a so-called metering valve. The valve proper, designated 21, is adapted to be manually adjusted between full open and closed positions by appropriate means including a stem 28. The valve 21, shown as having the usual thread connection at 30 with the valve casing, is provided with a graduated notch 32 by which the flow through the valve casing may be accurately controlled when the valve is in any other than full open or closed positions. The outlet of the valve casing 26 communicates, through a conduit 33, with the burner bowl I. A by-pass duct 35 establishes communication between the interior of the float chamber I I and the outlet connection 25, and the flow of fuel therethrough is controlled by a needle valve 36, this valve being left open 'at all times far enough to pass sufficient fuel to sustain operation of the burner at low or pilot fire of desired volume, and provided, of course, that the metering valve 21 is open.

Flow of fuel to the burner, when the metering valve is open, is further controlled by the multiple valve to which reference has previously been made. This multiple valve includes two valve members 38 and 39, (Figsyl, 4, 5 and 6) shown as tubes or sleeves slidably tted one within the other, the outer valve member 38 being similarly tted within a valve casing 48 shown as .an integral part ofthe oat chamber. Said valve casing 40 communicates with the interior of the oat chamber through an inlet port 4|, and with the outlet extension 25 through an outlet port 42. When the inner valve member 39 is fully depressed its lower end shuts off communication between the valve casing and the float chamber through the inlet port 4I. The outlet port 42 is controlled -by the valve member 38, the lower end of which is provided with a V-notch 43 in vertical alignment with the port 42.

As explained above, fuel in sufficient amount to sustain operation of the burner at low or pilot vv8| that are connected, respectively, to the oppo site ends of the primary winding 15a of the transn fire flows through the by-pass duct 35. The supply of additional fuel to the'burner for producing intermediate and high res is controlled by the valve member 38, and, assuming valve member 39 to be in open position, when valve member 38 is screws that pass freely through holes in the standard and in the laterally turned end portions of the elements or strips and are threaded through bars 61, and screws 88 that are threaded through the standard 58 and bear against the elements or strips in properly spaced relation tothe screws 65. By relatively adjusting the screws 65 and 68 associated with each element, such element may be rocked to vary its normal angular relation to the standard 58 and consequently change the normal positions of the valve'member connected therewith.

suitably attached to the respective thermostatic elements or strips 53 and 54 are electric heaters 10 and 1I in the form of coils of resistance wire; and when said heaters are cold the elements or strips occupy the positions indicated in full lines in Fig. l thereby to retain the valve member 39 in open position and the valve member 38 in the position determined by the stop l5-'that is in intermediate nre position, so to speak, wherein the uncovered portion of the notch 43 is of minimum area.

The fuel feeding and governing meansis desirably automatically controlled by an electric system including a transformer 15 and a thermostatic switch or so-called room thermostat 16 that is subjected to the temperature of the space` heated by the combustion apparatus. The two legs of a main or house circuit, of 110 volts for example, are represented by conductors and former. The vconductor 80,is represented asincluding a switch v82, shown conventionally as av knife switch. One side of the secondary winding 15b of the transformer has connection, througha conductor 84, with the movable contact element of the room thermostat 16, such element swinging in response to changes in temperature, asis well understood by those familiar with control systems of the kind under consideration. The l opposite side of the secondary winding 1511 is connected, through a conductor 86, with one end of the heaters 10 and 1I that areattachedto the thermostatic elements or strips 53 and 54, re-

in position to pass the additional quantity of fuel necessary to produce intermediate nre, only a limited portion of the area lof the V-notch 43 extends above the bottom edge of the port 42. The descent of the valve member 38 is limited by a stop, and preferably this stop is' adjustable so that thesize or volume of the so-called inter-` mediate re may be varied. According to the present embodiment of the invention, the stop, i

designated 45, consists of a collar on a stud 46 that is threaded through a part on the valve chamber AI.I and said stud is adapted to be locked The porthrough an aperture in a plate 48 that is suitably fastened to the upper end ofy the tubular valve member 38 and consists of Va part of a yoke 50.

spectively.' The opposite end of the heater 10 is connected, through a conductor 81 with the contact point 88 of the room thermostat, while the opposite contact point 89 of said thermostat has connection, through a conductor 90, with the corresponding end of the heater 1I.

From the source B, liquid fuel is conveyed by the conduit Ill to the float chamber I I, and under vthe influence of the liquid level control comprising the float I8 and valve I5, the fuel in the through ports 4I and 42, connection '25, valve casing 26 and conduit 33 to the burner A, be-

ing assumed, of course, that the metering valve 21 is open.

With the switch 82 closed, which is the normal ,condition of the switch throughout the season of operation of the apparatus, current is supplied to the transformer 15; and with the needle valve 36 set to the desired open position, a limited amount of fuel will ow through the by-pass duct 35 tothe burner. The fuel thus fed is augmented by that normally passing valve members 38 and 39 from the float chamber, the aggregate amount of fuel thus supplied to the burner being sucient to maintain operation at what has been termed intermediatek re. In other words, with the system operating under normal conditions, the fire is kept at intermediate stage. Under these circumstances the apparatus produces enough heat to maintain, against the influence of a lower outside temperature, a room or space temperature within a predetermined range for which the thermostatI 16 is set, it being understood that said thermostat is of the customary form capable of. adjustment to vary the value and range of the controlled temperature.

When the room or space temperature rises above the aforesaid predetermined range, the element 85 will swing to the left into engagement with the contact 89 thereby to close the circuit that includes the secondary Winding of the transformer and the heater 1 I; and-when the elevated temperature of the energized heater 1I acts upon the thermostatic element or bimetal strip 54 it will cause said element or strip to warp to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 thereby to depress to closed position the valve member 39 shutting oi the ow of fuel from the float chamber directly to the connection 25 and thence to the burner. As long as this condition prevails, the only fuel supplied to the burner is that escaping from the float chamber through the by-pass duct 35, and with the fuel supply thus reduced the burner will operate at low or pilot fire, causing the temperature to which the room thermostat is subjected to fall. When the temperature recedes suilciently the element 85 will swing back to neutral position opening the circuit to the heater 1I and allowing the thermostatic element or strip 54 to cool and return to normal position wherein it retains the valve member 39 in open position, allowing the burner to proceed at intermediate fire.

Upon a lowering of room temperature suflciently to cause the element 85 of the room thermostat to swing over into engagement with the contact 88, the circuit including thesecondary Winding of the transformer and the heater 10 will be closed, and when the elevated temperature of the energized heater 10 acts upon the thermostatic element or strip 53 it will cause the latter to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l thereby, through the member 52, link 5l and yoke 50, to lift the valve member 38 so as to increase the flow of fuel from the float chamber through the ports 4| land 42 to the connection 25 and thence to the burner, causing the burner to operate at high fire; and under the influence of the additional heat generated by the apparatusthe temperature affecting the room thermostat 16 will rise enough to cause the element 85 to return to neutral position and open the circuit to the heater 10, after which the system will resume normal operation with the burner functioning `again at intermediate re. v

In a practical application of the invention, the elements of the fuel feeding and governing means C may assume the physical form and relation illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the oat chamber Il is provided with a relatively large hollow boss that constitutes the' previously mentioned outlet connection 25; and the outer end of this boss has a leak-proof connection with the casing 26 of the metering valve, the parts being fastened together by screws 85.

The electrical connections to the `heaters 1l) and 'll are, in practice, made through binding posts 96 (Figs. 3 and 4), that are carried by a shelf 91 of insulating material suitably fastened to and supported by the standard 58 that rises from the cover 59 of the float chamber, the cover, with the parts mounted thereon, being shown in Fig. 3 as removed from the float chamber.

Attention is called to the fact that the tops of the valve casings 25 and 40 are a substantial distance above the maximum liquid level in the system, wherefore stuffing boxes or other seals are rendered unnecessary and freedom of action of the valves is assured.

pon reflection, it will be seen that my invention provides, in fuel feeding and governing means that functions to continue to deliver suft cient fuel to the burner to sustain operation thereof at low fire, two valves arranged in tandem, so to speak, the first of which is normally open Wide enough to pass the maximum amount of fuel to be fed, and the second of which is normally open only part way so s to restrict the amount of fuel to that required for intermediate fire, means being provided for operating the first valve while the second is in normal position thereby to diminish the fuel supply to that required for low nre, plus lmeans for further opening the second valve. while the first is in normal position `thereby to increase the fuel supply to that required for high fire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a liquid fuel burner, a source of liquid fuel supply, and fuel feeding and governing means through which the' source com-v municates with the burner and having provisions for continually delivering suflicient fuel from said source to the burner to sustain operation thereof at low fire, said means including, in addition to and independently of said provisions, two valves that control a single passageway and one of which is constantly open although, normally, only a minimum amount so as to permit under such conditions suflicient additional fuel to flow to the burner to sustain operation of the burner at intermediatere, the other valve being operable between open and closed positions, means for operating the second mentioned valve to shut oif the ow of the additional fuel, and means for further opening the first mentioned valve while the second is in open position thereby to increase the amount Aof fuel fed to the burner sulciently to sustain operation of the burner at high fire.

2. In combination, a liquid fuel burner, a source of liquid fuel supply, and fuel feeding and governing means through which the source communicates with the burner, the same functioning to continually deliver suicient fuel from said source to the burner to sustain operation of the burner at low re, said means including a multiple valve comprising members that, when in normal open position, permit, suflicient additional fuel to ow to the burner to sustain operation thereof at intermediate fire, and automatic control means influenced by the temperature of the space heated by the burner for operating one valve member to shut off the flow of the additional fuel when said temperature is above a predetermined value, and for further .opening the second valve member while the first is in normal position to increase the quantity of 4additional fuel fed to the burner in sufcient amount to sustain-operation of 'the burner at high re when said temperature is below a predetermined value.

3. In combination, a liquid fuel burner, a

i source of liquid fuel supply, and fuel feeding and governing means through which the source communicates with the burner, the same functioning to continually deliver sulllcient fuel `from said source to the burner to sustain operation of the burner at low fire, said means including an outer `tubular valve member and an inner tubular valve member operating within the former valve member, said membersfwhen in normal relative position, permitting suftlcient additional fuel rto flow to the burner to sustain operation of the burner at intermediate fire,` means for operating one ofsaid valve membersto shut of! the flow of additional' fuel while the other valvev member is in normal position, and means for operating said f other valve member while the rst mentioned valve member'is in :normal positionthereby to burneratflow fire,I said means including an outer tubular `valvemember and an linner tubular valve member'operating within the former valve-mem- .ber,. said members, when in -normalrelative posif tion, permitting sufdclent additional fuelto flow 'y to the burner to 'sustain operation ofthe burner4 atintermediate fire, means for operating 4one o'f saidvalve members to shut oil the flow of addil y `tional fuel lwhile the other valve member is in normal position, and meansfor operating said uothervalve member while the first rmentioned valvemember is in normal position thereby to increase ther quantity of additional fuel fed to the burner in suflicient amount to sustain operation of the burner at high fire, said inner'tubular valve member extending a substantial distance said means comprising a casing enclosing a valve chamber interposed between said source and said burner independent of said delivery element, said chamber having a single through passageway, a pair of valve members operable within said chamber and cooperating to control the passage of fuel through said passageway, said valve members being movable to three different relative positions in the first of which the passageway through the chamber is closed, in the lsecond of which the passageway through the chamber is partially open, and in the third of whichl said passageway is entirely open, and thermostatically controlled means for moving said valve members. v

6. In combinatiom a liquid fuel burner, a source of liquid fuel supply, and fuel feeding and governing means through which the source communicates with the burner and `functioning to continually `deliver suiiicient fuel from said source to the'burner to sustain operation thereof at low re, said means including a'singleppassageway and two valves in tandem for controlling the passage of fuel therethrough, the .rst` of-.which valves is normally open wide enough to pass the maximum amount of fuelto be fed, and the second of which is normallyopen onlypart'way so `as to limit the amount of fuel fed to that required for intermediate fire, means. for operating the rst valve'while the second `valve is `in normal position `to diminish the amount of fuel being' supplied to the burner to that required for low fire,` and means ,for further opening` theI second valve While the rst is in normal position thereby to increase the. amount offuel fed sufliciently to Asustain operation ofthe burner at high fire.

7. In combination,` a liquid fuel f, burner, a

source of liquid fuel supply, and fuelfeeding and governing means through which the source communicates with the burner andv functioning to continually deliver suflicient fuel from said source to the burner to sustain operation thereof v4at low fire, said means including a single passageway and two valves intandem for controlling the passage .of yfuel therethrough, the first, of,-` which valves is normally openfwide enough tovpass theV maximum amount of fuel to be fed and `the second of which is normally open only part-way so as to limit the amount of fuelv fed-to that required for intermediate fire, and automatic control means ofthermostatic character for operating saidvalves, the same being subjectedI to and so affected by the temperature of the space heatabove the maximum fuel level of said feeding and governing means and being vented to the atmosphere. i

5. In combination, a liquid fuel burner, aA

source of liquid fuel supply, and fuel feeding and governing means through which said source communicates with said burner including a delivery element functioning to 4continually deliver fuel ed by the burner, when said temperature is above a predetermined value,.as to operatethe firstV valve while the second is in normal position thereby to reduce the quantity of fuel flowing to the burner to that required for-low -re,and, when said temperature is belowI a predetermined value, as to further open the second valve while the rst is in normal position thereby to increase the quantity of fuel fed to the burner sufficiently to sustain operation of the burner at high re.

Y THEODORE B. FOCKE. 

